The present invention relates generally to optoelectronic assemblies having optical components, and more particularly, to a flexure having a specified length to support and align optical components.
Sealed packages are necessary to contain, protect, and couple to optical fibers and electrically connect optoelectronic components. Optoelectronics packaging is one of the most difficult and costly operations in optoelectronics manufacturing. Optoelectronic packages provide submicron alignment between optical elements, high-speed electrical connections, excellent heat dissipation, and high reliability. Providing such feature has resulted in optoelectronic packages that are larger, costlier, and more difficult to manufacture than electronic packages. In addition, current designs of optoelectronic packages and associated fabrication processes are ill adapted for automation because today""s high-performance butterfly packages are characterized by a large multiplicity of mechanical parts (submount, brackets, ferrules, etc.), three-dimensional (3D) alignment requirements, and poor mechanical accessibility.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,570,444 by Janssen discloses optically coupling optical fibers to injection lasers. The end of an optical fiber is held in alignment with an injection laser by securing the fiber to an elongate support member whose end nearer the injection laser is then laser beam welded to a pair of slide members that had been previously secured by laser beam welding to leave a precisely dimensioned small gap between the support and slide members. The end of the support member remote from the injection laser is secured by laser beam welding to a plastically deformable saddle. No pressure is applied to the elongated support member or saddle, and the arms and feet of the saddle do not spread apart as the fiber is secured and aligned. In addition, the fiber is aligned before the end of the support member is welded to the plastically deformable saddle. Accordingly, this method does not allow for flexibility in adjusting the vertical height of the fiber after the support member is welded to the saddle.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,195,555 by Shimaoka discloses an optical coupling technique as well as a lens holder. The optical coupling apparatus includes a light emitting diode, a lens, an optical isolator, and an optical fiber disposed on a common optical axis. The individual optical elements are roughly adjusted in the respective positions and fixed. Then, a precise and final adjustment is effectuated by plastically deforming a portion of a holder for supporting the lens or the optical isolator and/or by adjusting inclination of the holder. However, the lens holder is secured without any application of pressure on the lens holder that would allow for flexibility in adjusting the vertical height of the lens after the lens holder has been secured. In addition, this apparatus uses numerous parts in complex three-dimensional arrangements and are unsuitable for automated assembly.
U.S. Patent No. 5,619,609 by Pan discloses an improved clip for supporting an end of an optical fiber relative to a mount surface. A sleeve is disposed over the optical fiber adjacent to its end. The clip comprises a clip body with an upper and lower surface, with a flange disposed adjacent to the lower surface. The flange is affixable to the mount surface, and walls extend from the upper surface of the body to define a channel at which the clip is affixable about the sleeve. When the sleeve is affixed within the channel, the body rigidly couples the sleeve to the flange, thereby avoiding misalignment between the optical fiber and any optical device which is on or supported by the mount surface. Accordingly, this does not allow for flexibility in adjusting the vertical height of the fiber when aligning the fiber with any optical device supported by the mount surface.
Embodiments of the present invention overcome the limitations of the prior art.
Accordingly, a flexure and package including the same are described. In one embodiment, the flexure is part of a package that includes a substrate, a first optical element, and a second optical element. The flexure is coupled to the second optical element and the substrate to maintain the second optical element in alignment with the first optical element. The flexure comprises a body, a pair of front legs, and a pair of back legs. The attachment of the rear legs to the substrate causes the flexure to move from a first flexure position to a second flexure position, the distance between the first flexure position and the second flexure position equaling an offset distance. A specified length of the body is chosen such that the offset distance causes a second offset distance of the second optical component held by the flexure, and this second offset distance is within a specified range. The second offset distance is equal to the difference between a primary second optical component position and a secondary second optical component position.